“For me, I’m a really simple girl. I love being in the country. I love driving the country backroads,” Kemp said. “It really just depends who you are. I appreciate the little things in DeKalb, like the forest preserves and like how there’s a lot to do, but not too much. It’s not overwhelming.”

[Mark Black - for Shaw Media]

Everywhere the bubbly sophomore middle blocker/right front player goes, she knows a smiling face and a friend to embrace. It certainly adds to the nickname that Kemp loves politics. That’s why it was easy for coach Ray Gooden, entering his 18th year as head coach of the Huskies, to anoint Kemp with her moniker.

“There’s so many things about her that are just positive. That’s why. She has that kind of presidential presence, that political presence, but not being a politician,” Gooden said. “She engages with everybody. Everybody feels so welcoming to her.”

The sophomore relishes her role of introducing the city of DeKalb and its surrounding area to teammates. She’ll introduce them to things such as nature trails and good places to eat.

Kemp was the first to let her teammates know that DeKalb Corn Fest is coming up (she knows the exact dates) and made sure to send a group text to her teammates when the Big Boy Steam Engine came through town. Of course, she was in attendance.

“A lot of people come and expect a lot of city things, but we’re not in the city, so it really depends on who the person is,” Kemp said.

[Mark Black - for Shaw Media]

Milbrath realized just how much Kemp embodied the mantle of the mayor when the Huskies saw that Kemp’s lock screen on her phone was the DeKalb welcome sign.

“We teased her about it, too,” Milbrath said. “We love that she loves it here.”

As much as Kemp’s presence helps her teammates off the court, she’s no slouch on it. Her play at the net led to her participating in 87 sets, tallying 70 kills had 74 blocks on the season as a freshman in 2018.

[Mark Black - for Shaw Media]

For Gooden, Kemp’s sophomore campaign will be one where she has a chance to set her own course.

“It’s really about her. It’s kind of like, ‘My freshman year, I had a chance to do, now I have a chance to be. So what am I going to do?’ ” Gooden said. “How am I going to attack it from a blocking standpoint, from an attacking standpoint, from a leadership standpoint?”

A Saturday exhibition against Western Illinois – The Huskies took three of four official sets and won an unofficial fifth set – was the first action NIU had seen on the floor this preseason against an opponent.

[Mark Black - for Shaw Media]

The Huskies have only two seniors and a pool of young talent. Freshmen such as Peyton Tilly and Kaitlyn Bell were leaders in the kill category during the scrimmage against the Leathernecks.

Sophomore Grace Balensiefer will continue leading the setters in a lineup that will hinge on the success of young players.

“The culture on the court, we were super positive and uplifting, and I think that’s something that we can possibly grow on,” Milbrath said. “We can be the team that’s being more encouraging. By having a more encouraging vibe, that’s going to help our younger kids grow. By having them grow, by them growing, that’s going to help us win games.”

[Mark Black - for Shaw Media]

Kemp already is looking at herself as a veteran and examining what that means for her as a leader.

“The first exhibition games last year, that was getting used to the team and getting used to the college atmosphere,” Kemp said. “Now it’s more like hey, I know what I’m doing, and I need to go forward. I’m getting better, but I can’t go back. I can’t go back to my freshman ways.”

[Mark Black - for Shaw Media]

While Kemp still potentially has three full seasons of volleyball ahead of her, after that, “The Mayor” will have many avenues to explore.